indefensible
Americanadjective
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not justifiable; inexcusable.
indefensible behavior.
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incapable of being protected or defended against attack.
an indefensible town.
- Synonyms:
- unprotected, defenseless, vulnerable
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incapable of being defended against criticism or denial; untenable.
indefensible argument.
adjective
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not justifiable or excusable
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capable of being disagreed with; untenable
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incapable of defence against attack
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indefensible
First recorded in 1520–30; in- 3 + defensible
Explanation
Something that's indefensible is inexcusable — there's no way to justify it. It's indefensible to take candy from a baby, or to give candy TO a baby, for that matter. Indefensible behavior is just plain terrible, and it can't be explained away. It's indefensible, for example, or for one country to drop a bomb on innocent civilians in another country. Indefensible, "not able to be defended," comes from in-, "not," plus the Latin defendere and its sense of "allege in defense."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Indefensible," fumed Time magazine's Richard Corliss, who like many critics had been fancying The Social Network's chances.
From The Guardian • Feb. 24, 2011
Defending the Indefensible Lasky is shakiest in trying to rationalize Nixon's transgressions.
From Time Magazine Archive
Indefensible as they are, they are as much parts of his individuality as the deftness of his touch and the fearlessness of his methods are parts of his surgical training.
From The Other Fellow by Smith, Francis Hopkinson
Indefensible, which is now anchored off Brightlingsea, in the charge of retired petty-officer Herbert Tompkins and his wife.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 146, January 7, 1914 by Various
Of course by that time she was quite obsolete, so they called her the Indefensible, and put a nucleus crew on board for a few months.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 146, January 7, 1914 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
